LARNED — Rendezvous 2014 will focus on Hispanics and the Road to Santa Fe at the Santa Fe Trail Center and Larned Community Center Thursday through Saturday.
The theme was chosen as a way to examine the interaction and blending of cultures that occurred along the Trail with particular emphasis on how the Hispanic society was affected and in turn influenced other cultures. Traders and merchants on the Santa Fe Road as well as the international trading system will be explored.
Presentations will show direct melding of Mexican and American cultures through intermarriage and how Hispanic women impacted perceptions of the history of the American Southwest. The American invasion of New Mexico and the Hispanic military will be featured.

Dr. Leo E. Oliva
6:30 p.m. Thursday
Our Friend Melgares — Spaniards and Mexicans and the Santa Fe Road
Dr. Oliva, from Woodston, Kansas, earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Denver. He lectures on Kansas history, the frontier army and overland trails. For 25 years he was editor and publisher of SFTA’s quarterly, “Wagon Tracks.”

Dr. Susan Calafate Boyle
6:30 p.m. Thursday
Traders and Merchants — The Early Years of the Santa Fe Trail
Dr. Boyle, from Santa Fe, N.M., earned her doctorate in American Social History from the University of Missouri. She currently works as a Special Projects Historian at the National Trails Intermountain Region office of the NPS in Santa Fe.
As an independent scholar, she focuses part of her research on socioeconomic developments in New Mexico during the 19th century. She is the author of “Los Capitalistas: Hispano Merchants and the Santa Fe Trade.”

Dr. Robert Torrez
10:30 a.m. Friday
Mexican Trade Laws
Dr. Torrez, from New Mexico, received undergraduate and graduate degrees in history and political science from New Mexico Highlands University. He served as the New Mexico State Historian from 1987 until 2000. He has authored several books including a recent textbook for New Mexico schools and almost two hundred scholarly articles related to the Spanish Borderlands.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Juarez
2:30 p.m. Friday
The Antonio Chavez Murder
Tony Juarez, from Pueblo, Colo., graduated from Northern Arizona University and the Executive MBA program at the University of Denver. He is an active member of the Bents Fort Chapter and the Santa Fe Trail Association. Tony will share the history and outcome of the murder of his ancestor, Don Antonio Jose Chavez, on the Santa Fe Trail in 1843 along with information about his prominent Spanish family and descendents.

Van Ann Moore
6:30 p.m. Friday
Dona Tules”- First Person Portrayal I
Van Ann Moore, from Belen, N.M., earned B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Colorado and the University of Denver, respectively. She teaches theater and music for the University of New Mexico. She has performed and taught master classes in music and theatre at numerous festivals and colleges throughout the country.
She performs internationally as a singer-actress who researches, writes, directs and stars in her own one woman musical theater performances.

Dr. Doyle Daves
10 a.m. Saturday
They Came Over the Santa Fe Trail from Missouri and Established Families in New Mexico
Dr. Daves, from Las Vegas, N.M., is a retired academic educator, university administrator and scientist Ph.D., MIT). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Historical Society of New Mexico and the Las Vegas Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation. He writes historical articles about Santa Fe Trail pioneers and their New Mexican families.

Marcus Gottschalk
11:30 a.m. Saturday
Trade During the American Era of the Santa Fe Road
Marcus Gottschalk, from Las Vegas, N.M., earned a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs with a concentration in historical and Cross Cultural Perspectives from New Mexico Highlands University.
Four editions of his book, “Pioneer Merchants of Las Vegas,” have been published. After a career as a multi-color renovation painting contractor he teaches computer applications and computer art teacher.

Park Ranger Ellen Jones
1 p.m. Saturday
El Hombre
Ellen Jones, from Larned, earned a B.A. degree in Speech Communications from Missouri Southern State University. She was on the interpretation staff at Carver National Monument and managed staff and programs at an historic village in Minnesota. Presently she is a park ranger at Fort Larned National Historic Site following employment at the Santa Fe Trail Center.

Dr. Alice Ann Thompson
11 a.m. Saturday
Hispanic Women and the Santa Fe Trail
Dr. Thompson, from Golden, Colo., earned a Ph.D. in American History from St. Louis University. After teaching forty years at a college preparatory school in St. Louis, Mo., she continued her career in adjunct positions at 7 educational institutions.
Much of her research is devoted to the history of women along the Santa Fe Trail.

Dr. Michael L. Olsen
3 p.m. Saturday
Hispanics on the Central Plains — Then and Now
Dr. Olsen, from Colorado Springs, Colo., earned a B.A. from Olaf College and M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Washington. He is Professor Emeritus of New Mexico Highlands University.
He taught history including a course on the Santa Fe Trail. Dr. Olsen continues to publish extensively on the history and heritage of the Santa Fe Trail. He will introduce the theme of Rendezvous 2014 and facilitate a panel discussion.

Dr. David A. Sandoval
6:15 p.m. Saturday
The American Invasion of New Mexico and Mexican Merchants
Dr. Sandoval, from Pueblo, Colo., earned his B.S. from Eastern New Mexico University, M.A. from Southern Methodist University and Ph.D. from the University of Utah.
He taught 30 years at Colorado State University. He continues to publish extensively on Colorado History, the Santa Fe Trail, and Chicano History.